"Walk around in a langorous, dreamlike state" would be more accurate. The apartment, designed by Tracey Garet in collaboration with Michael, is heartbreakingly beautiful.

(Living room)

(Dining room)

(Detail, living room)

(The guest bedroom. Walls are padded with fabric.)

(The ultra-chic guest bed, cozily tucked into a nook in the wall.)

Thursday evening

I meet bloggers Nick Olsen, Bart Boehlert, Reggie Darling and his spouse, Boy Fenwick, for a drink at the Gramercy Park Hotel. We try repeatedly to go to the rooftop bar but the elevator absolutely refuses to cooperate with us so we squash ourselves into a little corner of the ground floor lounge. (We actually may be lucky. The next day, I recall reading about this in London's Daily Mail.)

Oh, it's fun to finally meet some of the people who have been inspiring me for years. All of them are trés handsome with their own inimitable style: Bart is chic, soft-voiced and gentle, Reggie and Boy are debonair, kind and huge-hearted, and Nick is endearingly -- and wickedly -- funny.

(Gramercy Park Hotel lounge. That's my empty glass of Prosecco.)

Back at Michael's apartment, I reconnect with the sampler he purchased from my art show last year. (Note: No sheep or Ambien needed to sleep tonight.)

Friday morning

I meet my old friend Stephanie for breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien (we shared a loft on Horatio Street in the West Village years ago) and catch up on each other's lives as rapidly as we can in the hour allotted to us. Then it's a dash uptown to meet with a literary agent. I just might have written a book proposal. (And yes, I know how hard it is to get a book deal these days. But a girl can dream, can't she?)

Friday lunch

I race crosstown to the D&D Building to have lunch with designer/magazine publisher Christopher Hyland. His new lifestyle/interiors magazine called Hyland (available as an iPad app HERE) is part World of Interiors, part (new) Architectural Digest, and wholly fabulous. (Very exciting: look for me to be a contributor in future issues.)

Christopher and Kyle Marshall, his editor-in-chief, are kindred souls. Within minutes, we're chatting as if we've known each other for years. (Can't you almost feel their buoyant spirits emanating from this photo?)Lunch is one fascinating story after another. We talk about, among other things, Christopher's recent pilgrimage to Mount Athos, a medieval monastery in Greece overlooking the Aegean Sea. The monks were badly in need of new vestments, so Christopher donated hundreds of yards of silk fabric to them (see below). I think we can safely assume they must be the chic-est monks on earth, don't you?

I say "assume" because very few of us will ever witness their shining sartorial splendor. (Visiting Mount Athos is beyond difficult. You need a letter of recommendation from the Athens embassy as well as a special permit of entry from the Greek Foreign Ministry, and it's forbidden to all women, children and non-Orthodox Christians. Ah, well. Envisioning them chanting vespers in their finery is pleasure enough.)

Back at Christopher's showroom, I am overcome by all the beautiful fabrics and carpet samples.

See the fabric below? It was created for Napoleon's one night stay at the Villa Pisano in Veneto. Yes, I said one night, people.

Christopher casually points to these and says, "These were a few of Jackie O's favorites." I stop myself from stumbling.

And this one I'm forgetting the story behind, but it's so gorgeous it can certainly stand without one.

Friday afternoon tea

I meet with Jenny Comita, the deputy editor of Martha Stewart magazine. She is smart and funny and fetching in her red scarf and husband's striped bateau pullover. We discuss possible future projects and talk about the new redesign of the magazine since Pilar Guzman (former editor of Cookie and author of great family cookbook Time For Dinner) has taken over.

On the way to meet another literary agent, this earnest basket of daffodils catches my eye.

Friday dusk

There's a violet haze descending on Gramercy Park and it looks like something out of another century. I half-expect Lily Bart to come clopping around the street corner in a canary-colored coach with a fringed hammer-cloth.

Friday evening

Michael and I make a quick stop at John Derian to drool over their wares. I find myself wondering if I can move in.

Then it's across the street to Billy Reid, the haberdashery of choice for downtown New York gentlemen. The vibe is very city meets country. Michael picks up the perfect gray cardigan sweater -- one Cary Grant could wear to either a Main Line cocktail party or golfing with Bob Hope.A quick trek across cobblestone streets......and we arrive at ACME, the reinvented New Nordic restaurant that has taken the city by storm. (NY Times review HERE.)

There's a big trend going on among men in Manhattan and it's called Buns and Beards (executed to greatest effect when they both appear on the same head). Our bartender is no exception. It's a striking look and makes them look like übercool artisanal cheesemongers, butchers, or mixology journeymen.

We are instructed that sharing plates is recommended, so we order a slew of items. Pearl barley and clams in a roasted sunflower broth and black cod with pickled green tomatoes, cardamom, vanilla and dandelion are standouts, as is our dessert, "Fallen Fruit with a Wheatgrass Granité."

I fall asleep dreaming of bunned and bearded Norwegian farmers harvesting apricots and plums off the dark loamy ground.

Saturday morning

Years ago, I left my heart in this city. And every time I return, I look for it. And every time I find it, it's always time to leave.

As my car zooms toward JFK airport and the city slides away, it already feels like a dream.

I'm new to this blog, inspired to hop over by Ciao Domenica. I moved back to LA from NYC about 3 years ago, and left at least a piece of my heart there too. Your wonderfully descriptive post, had me able to almost smell NY. Thanks.

A book deal indeed... oh how I wish this will come to fruition for you! And I hope it will be one that will include all of your travels, documented by your wonderful photography. So glad you were not in the Gramercy Hotel elevator! XO, Cynthia

I really miss living there. I gave my husband the a-okay to go anywhere for his 40th this summer (last summer we went to Blancaneaux for my 40th) and he only has eyes for New York. We haven't been back since moving away years ago. And....why am I still thinking about that little square of golden carpet sample in your photo. ARG! I love it!

Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I've truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon! Patek Philippe NautilusPatek Philippe watches

Some journeys are remembered for the longest time and one, connected with a book up your sleeves and some magazine contributions in the side lines must be one of them.I hope your home will envelope you again with love!

Being with blogging friends must have been like a dream. There is such a familiarity from reading their posts. You accomplished so much in such a short visit. Put me down for your book too. It is all so wonderful and I will be praying for your success.

Dearest Lisa,Thank you, thank you for being the master-mind (or is it mistress-mind?) behind our bloggers confab at the ever-so-stylish Grammercy Hotel during your whirlwind visit. Too much fun, and lots and lots to talk about (it is a wonder any of us got a word in edge-wise given that the table was surrounded by champion talkers, indeed! Boy and I had such a swell time, and I've been walking on air ever since!!

Dearest Lisa,Next time - I would be happy to throw a soiree for you and invite all your fans and followers. All you would need do is show up and we would certainly provide fodder for you to artfully craft into words or stitches.Glad your trip was a glamorous stay.Safe journey home.pve

Hello! I just found your blog and I think it's AMAZING! The pics are great and I can see that You really like what you do here! I love people with great ideas, like you! Your blog is inspiring! I will follow you!xoxo

Lisa,This post was such great fun, left me savoring every little snippet and fantastic images! Looks like 2012 is shaping up to be an exciting year for you and I wish you much success. I would have loved to have been enjoyed the company of these bloggers or at least been a fly on the wall, Reggie, in particular, is one of my favorites. Thank god, you all skipped the elevator!xo,~Rebecca